Box-opener.



P. LIBONATI.

BOX OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1913.

Patented Apr.13, 11915.

W] T NESSES THE NORRIS PETERS CO4, PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON. D C.

a rarnnr ricn PHILIP LIBONATI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOX-OPENER.

Application filed November 10, 191-3.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILIP LIBONATI, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, inthe county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Box-Openers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to box openers, and is designed more particularlyfor the purpose of starting or lifting the lid of abox of shoe polish orother material contained in a tin box so that the lid may be readilyremoved by hand.

The tin boxes for containing shoe polish or other materials aregenerally fitted with a practically air tight cover, the purpose beingto prevent evaporation or deterioration of the contents of the box.These lids are tightly fitted to the boxes and cannot be readily removedby hand, without first being loosened or lifted.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide reliable andeiiicient means for lifting or starting the cover from the box so thatit can be readily removed by hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and inexpensivemeans to be pivotally connected to the box for loosening the cover, saidmeans adapted to lie close to the box and to conform to the curvaturethereof, entirely out of the way, when not required for use, and whichcan be quickly operated for loosening the cover.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a box opener madefrom a single piece of spring material which will normally conform tothe curvature of the box, which will be pivoted to the body of the boxto be turned in a position readily to loosen the cover, thus providing abox opener of simple construction which can be quickly connected to thebox and readily operated for the purpose referred to.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

vFigure 1 is a perspective view of a box of the usual constructiondesigned for contain ing shoe polish, said box having pivotallyconnected thereto an opener made in accordance with this invention. Fig.2 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915..

Serial No. 800,102.

side elevation of the same showing the opener in full lines in positionfor packing and shipping, and when not required for use, and in dottedlines showing the lid slightly lifted from the box by the opener. Fig. 3is a plan view of a portion of the box and the opener connected thereto.Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the opener member removed fromthe box. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 designates the body of a box,such as is generally used for containing shoe polish, and 2 is the coverof the same and usually provided with an outwardly turned terminalflange 8.

The opener comprises a flat piece of resilient metal provided with anangular lip 4 at one end, and at the other end with an outwardly turnedfinger-hold 5. The spring member is curved to conform to the contour ofthe box and the lip 4 is curved to bear against the side of the box asshown. The opener is connected to the box by a pin 6 which permits theopener to have a pivotal movement thereon.

As a modification of the construction thus far described, a slot 7 maybe formed in the opener and when the member is thrown into a verticalposition upon the pin 6 it may be moved upward to release the cover 2.It will be understood that should the construction with the slot 7 beutilized, the pivotal point should be closer to the curved end 4 of theopener, in order that the opener may be swung into a position at rightangles to the box and pushed upward to release the cover.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the opener is simple inconstruction, can readily be stamped up from a single piece of resilientmetal or material, and can be quickly connected to the box by a pivotalpin 6. -When the opener is swung in alinement with the lower edge of thecover 2, it is entirely out of the way and occupies but little space.

What is claimed is:

in combination with a round box and its cover, a spring lever connectedunderneath the cover to the side of the box, by a pivot pin, said leverbeing curved to conform to the contour of the side of the box, saidlever having an angular lip at one end to engage the box cover when thelever is operated, and

a finger-hold at the opposite end of the lever, In testimony whereof Iaifix my signature said lever being provided With a longituin presenceof two Witnesses.

dinal slot through which the pivot pin passes to permit the lever tomove 1ength-- PHILIP LIBONATI' Wise to engage the cover'and loosen thesame Witnesses:

I from the box When turned in operable posi- RUss S. FOSTER,

tion. M. I. BUNYEA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ivecentsieach, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.

